Almost €60,000 has been allocated to tackle illegal dumping in Westmeath by Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten, with a further €19,000 pledged to crack down on litter, dog fouling and graffiti.

Describing dumping as “economic and environmental treason”, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten is allocating €2m this year for a targeted crackdown on illegal dumping black spots across the country.

There is no budget allocation in the Ballina Municipal District for the picking up of rubbish that is dumped illegally in the area, the coucillors in the district was told this week. Independent councillor Seamus Weir raised the issue at the January meeting on Wednesday and listed a number of sites in his area where illegal dumping was happening. He later told the meeting that he raised the issue because he had been informed that there was no budget put aside to clean it up.

Local Independent councillor, Michael O’Brien, has called on the council and Gardaí to get tough on illegal dumping in light of the latest spree in Moate, Moyvoughly, Drumraney, and Mount Temple during last weekend.